Zinacantan, Chiapas a Tzotzil village.
Web gallery by Bob Freund
9/19/2005
with particiaption of Karen Elwell and Tom Aleto, Narratives by Karen Elwell 9/2005
info@mexicantextiles.com
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1_ZinacantecaWeavingPoncho1993
1_tzotzilmap
Chps Tzo Zina 1980's
Chps Tzo Zina 1990's
Chps Tzo Zina 2
Chps Tzo Zina palm hat
Chps Tzo Zinacantan 1
Chps Zina Tom 1
The Tzotzil center of Zinacantan is located only 11 kms from San Cristobal. It lies in a wide valley surrounded by its sacred mountains, the Hearthstones. The surrounding hills are dotted with commercial greenhouses where flowers are grown. The flowers are destined for markets as far away as Mexico City. Many Zinacantan men own their own cargo trucks, and Zinacantan is probably the wealthiest indigenous community in Chiapas.

Both men and women wear traditional clothing. Women wear a black wrap skirt, folded in front of their bodies, and a blouse-like one-web huipil. The huipil is white and decorated with floral or geometric embroidered designs. A rectangular cape is also worn. The men are well known for their dramatic embroidered ponchos, sometimes topped with a small blue scarf. Generally, western shirts and pants are worn under the ponchos. Continued on the next page-